Wrseree ASSIZES. CHELMSFORD.—John Ardley was convicted of breaking into a
house at Earle's Collie, on the 9th of October, at night, and stealing a con- siderable sum of motley, the property of Francis Ruffle. Ile was assisted by an- other man, who has escaped. The robbers gained admittance to Miss Ruffle's bed-room, and threatened to kill her unless she told where her father's money was ; and they threatened to murder her father, a bed-ridden old man, upwards of eighty. Thus terrified, she complied, and they escaped with their booty. No more was heard of them till some time after, when the prisoner was appre- hended. On him were found a pair of heavy boots, the nails in the heels of which tallied with marks on the ground near the prosecutor's house, at that part through which an entrance had been effected. A silver thimble, similar in description to one taken from the prosecutor's house, was also proved to have been in the possession of the prisoner's wife. The daughter of the pro- secutor was able to swear to the voice of the prisoner, from his lisping, in con- sequence of the loss of a front tooth.—Sentence of death was recorded. • The Judges have left Oades, for horse-stealing, and Cashon and Briers, for the robbery of Mr. Greenhill, for execution.
MAIDSTONE.—Four youne° men have been convicted of breaking into a pub- lic-house at Lewisham, and stealing two guns, several bottles of spirits, and other articles. The prisoners are all under eighteen years of age: they heard their sentence of death with the utmost indifference.
Previous page
